What Do Various Types of Gerbil Squeaks Mean?

Image Source

Gerbils are well known for being wonderful social creatures. Like humans, they have various inbuilt vocalizations. It helps them to communicate with their fellow beings and the outside world.

When kept as a pet, they do succeed in developing a deep bond with their owner. Unlike gerbils, human beings can decipher these vocalizations.

If you are a proud owner of a gerbil, you can make your life a little easier. This article provides you with certain valuable information so that you can understand the squeaks they make and the noises they create.

Here you will get to know more about gerbils make use of their vocalizations to talk to you, every gerbil sound denotes a certain meaning, and more.

Gerbils make use of their vocalizations to talk to you!

Every time you find your gerbil squeak, remember, the gerbil squeaking has a certain meaning. They try to convey a message by resorting to things like squeaking, chirping, Purring, Clicking, and more.

It means you can simply take these sounds as an indicator to become aware of certain things, including:

• The feeling they are undergoing at a particular moment, or
• It is their way to respond to their environment and ambiance.·

Every gerbil sound denotes a certain meaning

When gerbils lead a life in the wild, they are among other gerbils living in large burrows.

They are incredibly social. Living among other gerbils, they communicate with each other through sounds.

For example, they go ahead in expressing various aspects through their specific communication, such as:

• Contentment,
• Excitement,
• Anger, and more.

Well, as a gerbil owner, it becomes extremely difficult to understand their sounds. In case you are not familiar with the meaning, this can add to their woes leading a successful life.

It is noteworthy, different sounds have individual meanings, like:

1. Chirping: Usually, it is the juveniles that make this sound in a very high-pitched manner.

2. Squeaking: This noise is often found in adults.

3. Purring: This sound has a close resemblance to a cat’s purring and is low rumbling noise.

4. Clicking: made by almost every gerbil, it is in the form of a ticking noise that gerbils make regularly.

The sound of chirping deserves a special mention

The gerbil squeaking and chirping are entirely different. Yes, they do rely on chirping to communicate in a better manner. Nevertheless, they prefer chirping on certain special occasions like when they are :

1. Fighting,
2. Playing,
3. Pain,
4. Stress,
5. Excitement, and
6. To keep track of other gerbils.

This sound is often noticed among the younger lots when they wish to establish a communication channel with their parents!

Image Source

Most noises are outside the human hearing range and high-pitched

Unlike noises made by some of the pets that pet-owners are accustomed to, gerbil squeaking is altogether a different ball-game.

There are some major distinctions between sounds other pets make and gerbils make. For instance, the sound the latter make are:

• Outside the human hearing range, and
• Are high-pitched

On account of this, it is of paramount importance that you give some time and effort to decipher their meaning.

Yes, with some careful observation for a while, you will be able to accomplish this feat. For instance, if your gerbil is making a chirping sound, you can conclude it is hurt.

Get a better understanding of their negative and positive vocalizations by watching them carefully

Gerbils are very intelligent pets. They do not prefer to put their owners in trouble very much. That explains why they prefer communicating through:

• Body language and
• Vocalizations like

1. Squeaks,

2. Yips, and

3. Chirps.

These vocalizations can broadly be categorized into 13 different syllables. Gerbils make use of all in combination using various frequencies for communicating numerous things with their fellow gerbils.

Yes, you do not have to get paranoid thinking you will not be able to understand the meanings of these sounds. All it needs is some patience to notice the sounds for some time.

This way, it will become a lot easier for you to respond to their requirements and get familiarized with its moods as well.

You can choose to:

• Distinguish between a freighted squeak and a loud squeak

Owing to the surroundings and ambiance of a specific place, it may feel frightened or threatened.

For example, in case it is frightening, it will usually resort to making:

1. One loud squeak or
2. A series of squeaks

Similarly, loud squeaks coming from their end can also mean it is in a:

1. Bad mood or
2. In pain.

If your gerbil continues to make loud squeaks for several days at a stretch, it is prudent to take it to the vet.

On the other hand, it merely squeaks at you, it may require you to leave them all alone! Give it some time and you can always interact with it yet again after the elapse of this period.

• Gerbils squeaking aggressively ought to be dealt with due diligence

Normally, gerbils squeak aggressively when they are among other fellow beings in the wild. Nonetheless, as a worried gerbil owner, you ought to handle the situation with due diligence.

This is the phase when they experience:

• Annoyance, and
• Frustration.

At times, gerbil squeaking could also mean they are more than willing to put up a great fight or wrestle with another gerbil present in their immediate vicinity in the enclosure.

It mostly happens when you have more than one gerbil inside the cage, for instance.

Be patient and observe certain signs like:

• They are letting out loud squeaks continuously at each other.
• They are in a face-to-face position pressing the noses together, and
• Hairs are raised·

The best things to do in such a situation is to:

• Separate the cages or enclosures, and
• Give them sufficient time to calm down.
• Make use of their favorite toys for separating them into various corners present inside the cage or enclosure.
• Make sure to use a glove while separating them so that it does not hurt you in any way.·

Take the thumping sound coming from them as a warning sign!

Gerbils usually make a thumping sound in two specific situations:

• When they feel threatened, or
• When alarmed from imminent danger.

You will find them making a thumping sound to raise a warning. Watch out for their hind legs that they use in the process to make such a thumping sound.

By producing such sounds, they try their best to caution other pets and gerbils in and around them.

Whenever you find such sounds, step back and check for certain triggers that resulted in them behaving in this manner. For instance, it could due to:

• Another pet or
• A loud noise

At times, such thumping noise arises during their mating season as well. For instance, a male will make such a sound to lure another female gerbil near it. They do this as an indicator that it is interested in her for undergoing the mating ritual.

You may find these questions and their answers worth remembering

Gerbils owners have several queries in matters of perfect pet care and gerbil squeaking. Understanding the real meaning of the noises their gerbil make is one of them

It is in this reference that you may find these questions and answers very helpful for you:

• What kind of a gerbil usually makes a loud squeak?

It is the young brigade that prefers such sounds. The adults on the other hand vocalize only when they are:

1. Playing
2. Excited or
3. Stressed.

• When a gerbil squeaks, what meaning does it carry?

By making noise, gerbils wish to attain the purpose of communicating with both:

1. You and
2. Other gerbils.

They thump and squeak to:

1. Frighten other gerbils or
2. Predators.

Similarly, when excited, they usually make a ‘yipping’ sound.

In addition, they:

1. Purr to exhibit their contentment.
2. Chirp to get your attention, and
3. Do a ‘click’ breathing noise when they’re sick.

• Why is it necessary to take the squeaks made as a normal routine?

Yes, the squeaking sound may take you off guard at times. Nevertheless, there is nothing to worry about. It is the sound a gerbil makes in its normal day life. All you ought to remember is to decipher the meaning of a squeak it is making.

Wrapping Up!

Gerbils are normal pets. Like other pets, it also makes different kinds of noises as a part of their existence.

As a proud gerbil owner, the onus is on you to decipher the actual meaning of the sound it is producing.

Get familiar with the sound they make. This will augur well for the betterment of your lovely gerbil.

It will allow you to take all applicable and corrective measures on time.

The best part – it does not require you to have a rocket-science know how to understand the meaning. all you need it some patience and time at your disposal.

Yes, a gerbil owner you may tend to have this query in your mind. This is very obvious. The best way to get rid of this problem is to make use of the information provided in this article.